City of Santa Cruz Approves Climate Adaptation Plan

The City of Santa Cruz, CA, has approved a standalone climate adaptation plan, which identifies the City's most significant climate change risks and vulnerabilities, and defines actions to guide "current and future decision makers in protecting our natural and built environment, our residents and visitors, our economic base, and our quality of life."

A first step in the City's adaptation planning process was to assess its vulnerabilities for which the community should prepare:

Sea level rise

Precipitation patterns that may lead to more extreme storm events

Flooding

Drought

Ocean acidification

Cliff erosion

Salt water intrusion

Urban/wild land fires

Ambient temperature changes that may result in species migration, ecosystem endangerment, and increased risk of wildfire